Sign construction



March 26, 1935. R w LUCE SIGN CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept; 14, 1954 Fig. 2

mm fWm H/ mm o Patented Mar. 26, 1935 PATENT oFFicE SIGN CONSTRUCTION Richard W. Luce, Westfield, N. 3., assignor to Sig.- nal Service Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application September 14, 193i, set-in No. 743,940

The invention herein disclosed relates to light reflector signals and signs in which the character displayed is made up of a plurality of individual reflecting units.

Such signs are commonly mounted vertically upon standards or posts provided for the purpose. After the signs have been in service for some time they frequently require servicing, which primarily consists in substituting a new reflector unit for an old one and in replacing the front face with one freshly painted. This can be conveniently done by removing the front cover plate without removing the sign from its support, providing the individual reflecting units are supported independently of the front plate. An example of a sign construction in which the reflectingunits are supported independently of the front plate is disclosed in my prior Patent No. 1.764.687. issued June 17, 1930, in which the sign therein disclosed includes a clip welded to the rear plate for each reflecting unit. The clips support the units independently of each other when the front plate is removed. There is, however. in this patent/ed construction a lack of flexibility in the assembly of the sign. The clips must be welded to the rear plate before the siw is assembled and consequently the several clips must be accurately located in accordance with the openings in the front plate.

By this invention, the advantages inherent in supporting the reflecting units individually and independently of the front plate are obtained and in addition there is the added advantage of flexibility in assembling the sign. The invention comprehends a construction in which the units, during assembly are free to move relative to the rear plate so that they are positioned by the front plate. Afterthe sign is assembled, the units become fixed to the rear plate so that when the front plate is removed. the individual units are supported by the rear plate. This is accomplished. in accordance with the invention; by providing a. sign which includes a rear plate-and a front plate having a series of openings therethrough. The front plate is secured to the rear plate in spaced relation and the sign contains a reflecting unit for each opening in thefront plate. The rear ends of the reflecting units abut against the rear plate against which they are pressed by resilient means acting between the front plate and each reflecting unit and an ad-= hesive secures the reflecting units to the rear plate. In assembling the sign the adhesive is in a fluid state and permits movement between the reflecting units and the rear plate so that the reflecting units are positioned by the front plate. When the adhesive subsequently hardens, it rigidly secures the units to the rear plate and the front plate can be removed while the sign is in a vertical position without disturbing the reflecting units. I

A sign embodying the invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a plan of a sign;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a washer.

The sign illustrated in the drawing is a usual road sign and consists of a front plate 1 and a rear plate 2. The front plate has the characters to be displayed by the sign embossed thereon and along the center line of each embossed character there is a series of openings through which the ends of the individual reflector units 3 extend. Each reflector unit includes a lens 311, a casing 327, and a reflector 30 which is held against the rear of the lens by the casing 13?). Intermediate the ends of the reflector ts there is formed a shoulder 3d.

In the assembled sign, the reflecting units are held between the front and rear plates with the lens portion 3a thereof extending through the openings in the front plate. The front and rear plates are secured together in spaced relation by carriage bolts 4. A sinuous washer 5 is provided for each reflecting unit and acts between the shoulder 3d of the reflecting unit and the inner surface of the front plate. The sinuous resilient washer therefore presses the rear of the reflecting unit against the inner surface of the rear plate. Each sinuous washer includes a pair of diametrically opposite extensions 5a and 52) extending perpendicular to the plane of" the washer. These extensions engage the casing 3b of the reflector unit and hold the sinuous washer on the unit. The rear surface of the casing 3b is provided with a series of circular indentations to increase the surface area.

The inner surface of the rear plate 1 is roughened as by sand blasting. In assembling the sign the inner surface of the rear plate is coated with a waterproof adhesive in. The reflecting units are set up on the rear plate in the ap proximate position to extend through the openings in the front plate. The sinuous washers are amxed to the reflector units and the front plate is placed thereover. The adhesive is in a fluid state and the reflecting units may be shifted acting as a templet in positioning the reflecting units. The front and rear plates are then secured together by the bolts 4 and, as heretofore stated, the sinuous washers press the reflector units against the inner surface of the rear plate. The circular indentations on the reflector units and the roughened surface of the rear plate provide additional surface for the adhesive material to combine or secure the reflector units to the rear plate.

A strap 6 secured to the rear plate is provided for mounting the sign vertically upon a post.

' After the sign has been so mounted and the adhesive has set, the front plate may be removed from the sign without disturbing the reflecting units which will be secured to and supported by the rear plate. If it is desired to replace a reflecting unit, the defective unit may be dislodged from the plate and a new unit properly coated with adhesive secured in its place.

It will be obvious that various changes may be made by those skilled in the art in the details of the embodiment of the invention disclosed in the drawing and described immediately above within the principle and scope of my invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim: I

1. The method of assembling a sign made up of a front plate having a series of openings therethrough outlining a character, a rear plate and a plurality of reflecting units between the front and rear plates, which method comprises adding to the rear end of each reflecting unit an element to cause the reflecting unit to adhere to the rear plate, arranging the reflecting units in the sign in accordance with the openings through the front plate before adhesion between the reflecting units and the rear plate is effected, and

forcing the units against the rear plate in securing the front and rear plates to eifect adhesion between the reflector units and the rear plate, whereby the reflecting units are supported by the rear plate.

2. The method of assembling a sign made up of a front plate having a series of openings therethrough outlining a character, a rear plate and a plurality of reflecting units between the front and rear plates, which method comprises applying to the rear end of each reflecting unit an adhesive substance to cause the reflecting imits to adhere to the rear plate, arranging the reflecting units in the sign in accordance with the openings through the front plate before the adhesive substance rigidly secures the units to the rear plate, and forcing the units against the rear plate in securing the front and rear plates together to effect a rigid adhesion between the rear plate and the reflecting units.

3. The method of assembling a sign made up of a front plate having a series of openings therethrough outlining a character, a rear plate and a plurality of reflecting units between the front and rear plates, which method comprises applying to the rear end of each reflecting unit an adhesive substance to cause the reflecting units to adhere to the rear plate, arranging the reflecting units in the sign in accordance with the openings through the front plate before the adhesive substance secures the units to the rear plate, and providing a resilient element for each unit to force the units against the rear plate upon securing the front and rear plates together to effect a rigid adhesion between the units and the rear plate upon the hardening of the adhesive substance.

RICHARD W. LUCE. 

